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seeeenf's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
„In der Zeit zwischen Mitternacht und den ersten hellen Streifen am Himmel tut sich die geheime, dunkle Pforte dieses Ortes auf, an dem unser rationales Denken außer Kraft gesetzt ist. Niemand kann voraussehen, wann und wo sein Abgrund einen Menschen verschlingen und wann und wo er ihn wieder ausspucken wird.“
——
„Vielleicht wird es ein Tag wie jeder andere, vielleicht einer, der in mancher Hinsicht als denkwürdig im Gedächtnis bleiben wird.
——
„Vielleicht wird es ein Tag wie jeder andere, vielleicht einer, der in mancher Hinsicht als denkwürdig im Gedächtnis bleiben wird.
Gleichwohl ist er im Augenblick für alle noch ein unbeschriebenes weißes Blatt.“
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Blood, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
amethystbutterfly's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
So freaking beautiful story of a young woman wandering in the dark streets of Tokyo. It’s beautiful, emotional and reflective story that all happens on one night. You get to know the life stories of different characters and their deep vulnerable thoughts and feelings. It has themes like sister relationship, grief, fear and sleep. It’s kinda confusing at times but at the end you realize what it was all about.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Minor: Cancer
alyaplnr's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
My first Murakami book to read — definitely had high expectations but this book was just not for me — still a compelling story that will leave you with more questions than answers.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Cancer and Confinement
cpreeta6's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Okay, I am now starting to realize why people say that Murakami is at his best in short books. This book was all about the atmosphere. The fact that the whole book takes place over the course of one night, "after dark" was a clever idea. You could never tell where the surreal and the mundane overlapped. The book makes you think, and question what you read. The conversations are philosophical at times, but hell, who isn't a bit philosophical in the middle of the night?
That out one thing towards the end gave me the ick - it was totally unnecessary, and most people who have read the book would agree. Otherwise, I really liked it, and it was a solid read. It was unlike, yet completely like him to write a book like this one. I am always surprised at the difference between his books and their themes. It completely follows his writing style, but the story? It almost feels like the same person could not have thought of After Dark and say, Killing Commandatore, my favorite among all his books.
The prose was beautiful, and the use of present tense throughout the book made me feel the time ticking away. Also, as the book is a short one, I finished it in one sitting, which augmented that feeling. The reference to the reader as a camera was a bit unnerving, and did break the trance the book put me in at times.
Overall, I believe it takes a spot in the top books I have read by Murakami.
That out one thing towards the end gave me the ick - it was totally unnecessary, and most people who have read the book would agree. Otherwise, I really liked it, and it was a solid read. It was unlike, yet completely like him to write a book like this one. I am always surprised at the difference between his books and their themes. It completely follows his writing style, but the story? It almost feels like the same person could not have thought of After Dark and say, Killing Commandatore, my favorite among all his books.
The prose was beautiful, and the use of present tense throughout the book made me feel the time ticking away. Also, as the book is a short one, I finished it in one sitting, which augmented that feeling. The reference to the reader as a camera was a bit unnerving, and did break the trance the book put me in at times.
Overall, I believe it takes a spot in the top books I have read by Murakami.
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying, Physical abuse, Blood, and Death of parent
em_the_cat's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
“Breasts, breasts, breasts!” Shut up Murakami you’re ruining your own book
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Violence, and Blood
sas_lk's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
"You know what I think? That people's memories are maybe the fuel they burn to stay alive."
This was a love letter to the night. This touched a specific place in my heart that I have rarely truly shared with others. This was a story about love, about sisterly love, and simply about life. About the peace one can find in the darker hours when everything feels like it's crashing down.
This was a love letter to the night. This touched a specific place in my heart that I have rarely truly shared with others. This was a story about love, about sisterly love, and simply about life. About the peace one can find in the darker hours when everything feels like it's crashing down.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Physical abuse
Minor: Blood
rosie_valadez's review against another edition
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Violence
Minor: Trafficking and Death of parent
persian_green's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Blood, and Trafficking
jessi_c's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I enjoy how the narration breaks the fourth wall, inviting us to float around the city. Had just the right touch of intrusiveness.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Physical abuse, Blood, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Violence, Stalking, and Alcohol
mewpasaurus's review against another edition
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Haruki Murakami has this way of writing his books in which you know the ending will probably either be a non-ending or somehow unsatisfactory, but yet we, as readers, are okay with that. After Dark is no different; the characters are neither protagonists or antagonists, they merely exist in a world that swirls around them and continues whether they do or don't participate. His books are interesting in that way; the characters are just dressing to the atmosphere or story he's trying to convey, not particularly main characters.
After Dark really focuses on the passage of time and how the city the characters move and operate during the quiet hours of deep night/early morning. There are good, bad and neutral aspects just as there are good, bad and neutral people that operate in that time span. None of their stories have resolution and they aren't supposed to. After all, it's only the passage of one night in a very busy city.
Overall, I found this enjoyable and enigmatic. It's one of the things I've always enjoyed about Murakami's work.
After Dark really focuses on the passage of time and how the city the characters move and operate during the quiet hours of deep night/early morning. There are good, bad and neutral aspects just as there are good, bad and neutral people that operate in that time span. None of their stories have resolution and they aren't supposed to. After all, it's only the passage of one night in a very busy city.
Overall, I found this enjoyable and enigmatic. It's one of the things I've always enjoyed about Murakami's work.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Physical abuse, Trafficking, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Trafficking